Ergonomics overview

The average office worker spends approximately 80,000 hours sitting at his desk. Adding to this the time he spends sitting down at home, in the car, on public transport, and in the cinema or theatre, the conclusion is unavoidable that his body clearly gets insufficient exercise. The number of people complaining of backache and muscular tension regularly or frequently has meanwhile risen to one in every two. Sooner or later, this often results in chronic complaints, often with irreparable damage being caused.

Another factor that should not be underestimated is that the economy suffers losses on a scale of billions as a result of what has become a national epidemic - backache. These losses are directly attributable to lost working hours and the costs of medical treatment and subsequent convalescence. Office personnel are not only the primary cost factor but also the main provider of finance. The economic success of a company depends directly on their health.

Haworth has recognised that both the productivity and the willingness of the human factor to innovate represent the company's greatest capital. The optimisation of working conditions has always been at the focus of the design of desks and office seating. The aim is to keep the effects of physical stress on the working person to an absolute minimum.

The limits of human ability are defined by a person's physical and mental weak points. These are largely determined by the balance between body and mind, health and pain, and tension and relaxation. The moment a problem arises at some point between the top of the head and the sole of the foot, a person's entire system is affected.

As one of the world's leading manufacturers of office furniture, Haworth promotes the concept of a whole design for office furnishings. Its philosophy can be summed up in the magic formula: 'adaptable workspaces'.  This refers to the approach taken by the company to create adaptable and ergonomically efficient workspaces, in which a person can concentrate, relax, develop his abilities and work efficiently.